Welding systems reside at the core of the modern industrial age. From massive automobile assembly operations to automated manufacturing environments, these systems facilitate joining in ever more complicated manufacturing operations. One such example of a welding system includes an electric arc welding system. This may involve movement of a consumable electrode, for example, toward a work piece while current is passed through the electrode and across an arc developed between the electrode and the work piece. The electrode may be a non-consumable or consumable type, wherein portions of the electrode may be melted and deposited on the work piece. Often, hundreds or perhaps thousands of welders are employed to drive multiple aspects of a construction process.
For example, some of these aspects relate to control of power and waveforms supplied to the electrode, movements or travel of a welding tip during welding, electrode travel to other welding points, gas control to protect a molten weld pool from oxidation at elevated temperatures and provide ionized plasma for an arc, and other aspects such as arc stability to control the quality of the weld. These systems are often deployed over great distances in larger construction environments and many times are spread across multiple locations. Given the nature and requirements of modern and more complex construction operations however, welding systems designers, architects and suppliers face increasing challenges in regard to upgrading, maintaining, controlling, servicing and supplying various welding locations. Unfortunately, many conventional welding systems operate in individually controlled and somewhat isolated locations in regard to the overall construction process. Thus, controlling, maintaining, servicing and supplying multiple and isolated locations in large centers, and/or across the globe, has become more challenging, time consuming and expensive.
One such challenge relates to managing information and placement of welding equipment. For example, a customer may desire to construct various projects in remote areas, requiring welding units that are separated by great distances. Conventionally, welding unit operation and status information is contained independently with each welding unit. The customer must physically check each unit and report back to a construction management site with this information. This is very time consuming and can provide inaccurate information depending on the length of time it takes for the information to be reported back. If traveling to various locations takes several hours, then the data will not include usage information for that time period. Additionally, if the equipment is leased out to a job site, the lessee must trust that the customer will accurately report back the usage and location of the equipment. Thus, it is highly desirable to be able to manage these assets in a reliable and efficient manner to increase productivity and to ensure maximum revenue generation.